Reduce: Glass-Transparency in the circular economy

In the push for a circular economy, materials like glass—long valued for their durability and versatility—are coming back into focus. Unlike materials that degrade after recycling, glass can be endlessly reused without losing its quality, making it an ideal candidate for sustainable systems. Yet, current recycling rates and industry practices don’t leverage its full potential.

Only 21% of glass worldwide is recycled efficiently, despite the infrastructure available in key regions. By focusing on localized solutions, partnerships with glass processors, and updated technologies, there is a big opportunity to close this gap.

Recyclability: Unlike plastics or composites, glass can be recycled repeatedly without degradation. For example, 100% cullet (crushed glass) can replace virgin sand and soda ash in glass production. Using cullet saves about 25% of the energy required to make new glass (O-I Glass Inc., 2023).

“Currently, hardly any glass packaging is made on exclusively raw materials.”

ferver.eu/the-production-of-glass

Glass: Around the world

🟧Europe: Glass recycling rates are the highest globally, with 78% of glass containers recycled, much of it going back into bottle production (FEVE, 2022). Companies like Vetropack in Europe are developing lightweight bottles with recycled content rates exceeding 60%, proving that even design can support circular goals.

🟧Australia: A recent shift toward “container deposit schemes” increased glass recovery rates by 40% in under two years, driven by collaboration between councils and processing plants (Visy Recycling, 2023).

🟧 North America: While the U.S. trails at 33% recovery, targeted investments by waste companies like Strategic Materials Inc. have boosted output in states with strong mandates.

🟧 In India, the Glass Syndicate has adopted localized “micro-recycling” models where urban centers process glass waste directly into finished products like tiles or containers.

🟧Countries like Germany and Sweden achieve near-total recovery rates through well-established bottle return programs. In South Africa, nonprofit initiatives like The Glass Recycling Company partner with small businesses to recover over 85,000 tons annually, creating jobs in the process.

🟧Construction firms in Japan and the Netherlands are incorporating powdered glass into concrete, reducing their reliance on sand—a material facing its own shortages.

Challenges in Scaling Recycling Systems

Color Sorting: Mixed-color glass cullet lowers the value of recycled materials. Optical sorting innovations are addressing this, with systems that now achieve 95% color purity, ensuring clear, green, and amber glass streams remain uncontaminated (Tomra Recycling, 2023).

Transportation Costs: Due to its density, glass can be expensive to transport. Solutions like establishing regional processing hubs are helping reduce logistical inefficiencies.

Market Availability: Some regions suffer from a lack of buyers for recycled glass. Efforts by processors like eCullet and Ardagh Group have increased demand through closed-loop systems, where glass collected locally is remanufactured within a 100-mile radius.

Posts in this series:

  1. Recycle: Sensor tech is managing waste reduction
  2. Reuse: How sensors and tech revitalize waste sorting
  3. Reduce: Glass-Transparency in the circular economy

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